Sinister: Richard Colburn interview.

[Ben Ferneyhough]

Good morning all, my mate brought in a copy of this morning's Metro paper (a 
free paper in London) and there was this interview in it, so thought you all 
might to read it. A few inaccuracies in it I think, but it's interesting 
anyway.  
 
Ben x
 
The 60 second Interview:
Richard Colburn.
 
Belle & Sebastian are the Scottish band that scarcely anyone has a bad word 
for. They haven’t courted fame, they’re not known for pursuing a rock ‘n’ roll 
lifestyle (indeed, they barely have ever seem to venture out of Glasgow) and 
they hardly ever give interviews, Here drummer Richard Colburn, 30, reveals a 
few secrets.
 
* The band is often described as ‘fey’. is this fair ? Are you drippy ?
Yes and no. It’s not fair because that’s not the way it is at all. But, given 
the way we’re put across, then it probably is fair. I mean, if you don't want 
a tag them change your image. If anybody met me they’d have a shock.
 
* How would you confound expectations ?
I’d take them out drinking. I’ve recently been to Ireland and it wasn’t a twee 
weekend. I used to drink a lot of Guinness. I had a pretty cool concoction at 
one point - Guinness with Baileys chasers and pints of cider. I missed my 
flight back because we went to the boozer until ten o’clock in the morning.
 
* How did B&S come to make their first album ?
Most bands get together with as vision of being pop stars. It wasn’t like that 
for us. We were doing a music business course at college. The course had a 
label. Every year they signed a band to do a single - not for the benefit of 
the band, but for the benefit of the course - so people could see what it was 
like to sign and promote a band. We were picked. The budget was bigger than 
expected, so we did an album. Only about 1,000 records went out and we didn’t 
expect any comeback. It wasn’t my life’s dream - it just happened.
 
* Did Blue Peter really refuse to let you on ?
We talked a lot about doing Blue Peter. It would be quite different - a change 
of pace from doing Jools Holland stuff. You’d be dodging dogs, cats and 
tortoises and probably singing next to some majorettes. I think we might have 
put a request in and they probably did turn it down. We even had the thought 
of doing the Eurovision Song Contest.
 
* Your worst ever job ?
I was a postman when I was about 16. I was on a casual contract. they’d phone 
up at 4am and if you’d been out the night before it was awful. You’d hear the 
phone ringing and think: ‘Oh no, it’s them’. The worst bite I ever saw in my 
life was from a cat. They have the sharpest teeth. I was a snooker player for 
a while as well.
 
* So you were nearly Steve Davis ?
I’ve still got some old bow ties and dinner jackets I use to wear at 
tournaments. I would never wear them again. I won a few tournaments but 
nothing major because I never stuck at it. If you’re going to put 110 percent 
in it there’s probably not much point.
 
* Ever played a gig that hasn’t worked ?
Jesus Christ, aye. The first Belle and Sebastian gig we played was when we 
were at college. The audience didn’t know if it was the soundcheck or the gig 
and neither did we. Another bad one was when we played in France and they out 
us straight after a band called Loch Ness. they thought there was a Scottish 
connection. This band played three hours of heavy metal and pink covers. We 
knew we played the quietist music in the world and not very well so we were 
terrified. But Loch Ness did three encores then everybody left.
 
* What would other band members say was your most annoying habit ?
Not being able to say no. If someone asks me to do a gig, whatever, I’ll 
always go: ‘Aye, right, magic, that’ll do’. It gets me and the rest of the 
band into bother. Neil, our manager, has to go round undoing the things I’ve 
agreed to.
 
* Your most embarrassing item of clothing ?
A horrible pair of brown Y-fronts. I shared a flat with seven or eight other 
people and there was a drying room I left them in once. Someone went in and 
the rest of us heard a loud shriek. We all came running and he walked out 
holding these tattered faded things. I’ve thrown them away now.
 
* Do you still feel young ?
When I reached 27 I realised I wasn’t young anymore. I don’t mind. It’s when 
I’ve been on a bender - or maybe at a festival playing with other bands - and 
you come back feeling terrible. My girlfriend Louise is a bit younger than me 
and she’s had a couple of knock-backs from nightclubs and pubs because they 
think she’s under 18. That’s never going to happen to me.
 
* Anything that makes you switch the radio off ?
Quite a lot of trance that seems OK but it’s on the radio all the time and 
there’s only so much you can take. I’ve been listening to funk and a bit of 
hip hop. I also like the new Badly Drawn Boy album and James Taylor stuff.
 
* Who’d you most like to play with ?
I’d love to play in Beck’s band. It’s phenomenal.
 
Richard Colburn DJs at the Social W1 (020 7636 4992) on August 26.
 
Interview by Victoria Moore.
 
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